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Hi guys, I'm new to SDN and I was hoping you could help me figure out my research interest for grad school. I've read other threads about this but they didn't seem to apply to me/they were outdated by more than a year So here goes...!
I'm currently confused about my research interest because up until a few days ago, I was absolutely sure I wanted to do research on severe mental illnesses in grad school. But after completing an undergrad thesis on a pretty intense topic and interning at a home for people with severe mental illness for 6 months, I feel really burnt out!! I think continuing with research on difficult topics or on severe mental illnesses might further burn me out or make grad school life really emotionally draining.
So I think I should switch to a less intense research area...but I'm not sure what that means or how to approach searching for a new interest. I know that I definitely want a PhD in Clinical Psych but beyond that I'm now at a loss. Does anyone have any suggestions? Or do you think I should stick with research on/working with intense populations and that over time it won't be as tiring? I feel like anything else may not be as interesting to me; but now I also feel like severe mental illnesses are also no longer my cup of tea.
All of this is especially problematic because I am planning to apply this fall (for 2011 school year). Even though it might be beneficial to take a year off that is not an option in my situation because of various reasons. If anyone has any thoughts or advice on what to do, please let me know!
I'm currently confused about my research interest because up until a few days ago, I was absolutely sure I wanted to do research on severe mental illnesses in grad school. But after completing an undergrad thesis on a pretty intense topic and interning at a home for people with severe mental illness for 6 months, I feel really burnt out!! I think continuing with research on difficult topics or on severe mental illnesses might further burn me out or make grad school life really emotionally draining.
So I think I should switch to a less intense research area...but I'm not sure what that means or how to approach searching for a new interest. I know that I definitely want a PhD in Clinical Psych but beyond that I'm now at a loss. Does anyone have any suggestions? Or do you think I should stick with research on/working with intense populations and that over time it won't be as tiring? I feel like anything else may not be as interesting to me; but now I also feel like severe mental illnesses are also no longer my cup of tea.
All of this is especially problematic because I am planning to apply this fall (for 2011 school year). Even though it might be beneficial to take a year off that is not an option in my situation because of various reasons. If anyone has any thoughts or advice on what to do, please let me know!
Oh also I am hoping for my research interest to coincide with a clinical population I could also do therapy with. This is why finding a research interest is becoming so difficult. I would like to focus on being a practitioner in the future, but also simultaneously do research and publish throughout. I would say both are equally important now, but that maybe 30 years from now I'd like to focus more on therapy.
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!